A drunken man who had downed 10 cans of Stella Artois and half a bottle of Southern Comfort pointed a 12-inch kitchen knife at his girlfriend, and in a scuffle with the blade, her hand was cut.
Oliver Shipley, 31, of Star Hill Road, Driffield, later told police that he "meant to stab her", in the incident on October 1 last year, reported HullLive.
Hull Crown Court heard how the girlfriend tried to grab the blade from Shipley after he emerged with a knife and cut her hand.
Michael Masson, prosecuting, said Shipley had been in a relationship with the woman since 2015 and they were in the kitchen of the house in Driffield drinking and listening to music at about 10.15pm.
She was trying to comfort him as he appeared to be downhearted and then suddenly he locked her outside of the house and continued drinking, the court heard.
"She simply waited for him to calm down," said Mr Masson adding that she was eventually let back into the house and went back upstairs.
Then Shipley went upstairs and while she suggested he should sober up, he indicated that she should leave the house.
"She noticed that he had a knife and it looked to be a 12-inch kitchen knife," said Mr Masson. "It was pointing upwards. She immediately reacted and reached for the knife and grabbed it.
"The defendant didn't let go of it and it caused a cut between her thumb and her index finger. He immediately put the knife down. She dropped to the floor and was trying to stem the blood."
Shipley alerted the police and the ambulance service.
"He mentioned to the paramedics that he had stabbed her but she said that he hadn't stabbed her and that she had grabbed the knife," said Mr Masson.
But Shipley told the police: "I meant to stab her. It was my knife game. I sliced her hand."
He said that he had drunk 10 cans of Stella Artois and half a bottle of Southern Comfort.
"The defendant, for whatever reason, came into the bedroom and, in the course of that disagreement, the complainant was injured," said Mr Masson.
Shipley had a previous conviction from Bridlington Youth Court for possessing a blade in August 2008.
Dale Brook, mitigating, said that the woman had not supported the prosecution and Shipley acted out of character.
"He is very sorry for what happened that night," said Mr Brook. "That night, he had drunk too much and the incident spiralled completely out of control. He hasn't particularly found a way of coping with stress and difficult situations."
He had not been in contact with his now ex-girlfriend since the incident and "does not know her feelings towards him" now.
Shipley had suffered from problems, including significant financial pressures after he lost his job, but he had sought help for his alcohol problem.
Judge Sophie McKone said that "for some inexplicable reason" Shipley took a knife into the bedroom and pointed it towards the woman.
"Her instinct was to grab at that knife, causing an injury to her hand," said Judge McKone. "It may not have been your intention to injure her or threaten her with it but the presence of it did cause that injury.
"When drink and knives are involved, it's a very dangerous combination and can lead to far more serious injuries or even death. I accept that you deeply regret what happened that night."
Oliver Shipley, 31, of Star Hill Road, Driffield, admitted affray. He was given a one-year suspended prison sentence, 100 hours' unpaid work, 30 days' rehabilitation and a building better relationships programme.
